Catamenial garment



May 13, 1924. 1,494.044

A. WARD ET AL CATAMEN I AL GARMENT Filed Aoril 27. 1923 E mum Won@atented May 13, 1924.

ABRAHAM WARD ZULTUS W. GULDS'MITH, YORK. E. Y.

CATAMENIAL GARYEENT.

Application filed April 27, 1923. Serial No. 634,950.

To (LIZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ABRAHAM WARD and J UmUs W. GonnsMiTn, citizens ofthe United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCatamenial Garments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a catamenial 1 garment adapted to be worn toprevent injury, such as by soiling, to the usual garments worn, thegarment comprising a pair of trunks constructed in a novel manner, thistype of garment being commonly known in the trade as a step-in.

The invention has for a eneral object to provide a novel catamenialgarment of this type which will be sanitary, and which will be morecomfortable and hygienic in use than such garments of this type as haveheretofore been worn.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the followingdescriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a perspective 2 view showing one embodiment ofmy improved catamenial garment.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken justabove the elastic waist band.

853 Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. l but showini a modifiedconstruction.

ig. 4 is a fragmentar horizontal sectional view taken at a point betweenthe waist band and one of the leg apertures.

As here embodied our improved catamenial garment comprises a singlesheet of rubber which is suitably shaped to provide the front and rearbody portions 10 and 11 of the garment and which is of narrowed ea widthbetween its ends as at 12, where it engages between the limbs of theuser. These front and rear elements 10 and 11 are connected or joined atthe sides in spaced relation to each other by means of non-elastic eefabric inserts 14:, which are comparatively short in vertical dimension,extending from the top of the garment down to the top edges of the legopenings 15. These inserts, as will he understood are united along thefull at length of their side edges to the edges of the rubber sheet andthey arc preferably made of a material having considerable porosity,such as linen mesh fabric.

Extending around the garment, just below the top edge thereof, is anelastic waist band 17 which is preferably attached to the inner face ofthe garment as shown, being secured in place by suitable stitching. Inorder to prevent danger of tearing of the rubber sheet, which is of verylight weight the side inserts are attached to the waist band 17 when thelatter is stretched under considerable tension, while the rubber memberis attached to the waist band is under lesser tension, so that normallythe convolutions in the insert 7 are deeper than those in the rubbermember under normal conditions, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

In the embodiment in Figs. 3 and 4: we have provided a means for varyingthe width I of the inserts 14: at the bottom thereof so as to vary thehip measurement with respect to the waist measurement when desirable. Asthere shown each insert is arranged to have a pleat or fold 20 madetherein which widens from the top downward. Secured at opposite ends tothe insert, and spaced vertically thereof, are a number of cords 21,these cords being secured at oneend to the outer face of the insert andat the opposite end to the inner face of the insert. The respective endsof the cords are secured to the insert at laterally spaced points on thelatter, the lateral spacing of the points increasing progressively fromthe top of the garment downward. These cords are passed through eyelets22 in the inserts arranged in vertically spaced relation near one sideof the latter, and have looped therethrough the single cord 24 which isalso engaged with suitable hooks 25, or eyelets if desired, arranged invertically spaced relation adjacent the opposite side of the insert.This single cord is preferably permanently attached at one end while itsopposite end may be removably we attached in any suitable manner, itbeing understood that the cord will be of sufiicient len h to allow foradjustment of the width of t 0 insert.

Because of the particular arrangement of the cords 21, which is clearlyshown in the drawing, they pull on both sides of the pleat in the insertwhen the cord 24 is tightened and thus act to retain said pleat or foldlying flat in place, and this pleat automatically no accommodates itselfto the form of the wearor of the garment when the cord 24 is tightened.

Our im roved catameniai garment is both comfortab ie and hygienic,affording full rotection, while the porous nature of the inserts 14allows for circulation of air.

While we have described our improved ste -ins to be used as catamenialgarments, it 15 to be understood that the right is re served to its usealso as baby pants and to all modifications coming within the scope andspirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent of the United States is as tollows:

1. A catemenial garment comprising a main bod element or sheet rubber,and side inserts 0 open mesh fabric, and an elastic Waist band extendingaround said garment, said elastic bend normally hoidin the rubber end"fabric elements in conventions at the point Where they engage the band,the convoiutions or" the fabric insert being normaiiy dee er then thoseof the rubber sheet to cause t e latter to be stretched to nonconvolutedform before the said inserts.

2.. A catameniai garment comprising a, resin body element of non-porousmaterial, end side inserts of porous material, and means including cordsattached at opposite ends to the inner and outer faces respectiveiy ofthe inserts and passing through eyelets therein for holding said insertsin pleated form.

In testimony whereof we have afixed our siatures,

ABRAHAM WARD. JULIUS W, GOLDSMITH.

